On the table below, add at least five events or activities you can do during the school year in the right column of the table. Each event or activity should help you address a component of the Achievement Triangle and be appropriate for the time in the school calendar.
Click the Edit tab in the upper-right corner.
Place your cursor in the table cell next to the month and achievement triangle section you want to contribute an event or activity idea to.
Add your text in the cell.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for your remaining event and activity ideas.
Press Save on the Editor bar.
Achievement Triangle Event and Activity Ideas List: Remember to initial your contribution!!
Month
Achievement Triangle
Event and Activity Ideas
August
Know Self
Start school year with student created word wall on culture - post them in classroom
Develop a goal of having students do a culturally competent activity once a month during our class meeting time. (ID)
Spend some time researching my family history, and where I come from. Use this research to better understand my racial identity, and its place in society. With this information create a family tree. (Jason D.)
Prepare an index card about how to speak out when confronted with intolerance. And practice each of the six steps. But the first step is being prepared and ready. (MM)
Create and send out a survey similar to the one used in this course in order to better understand your strengths and weaknesses with regards to your CC. From this information, create a goal that is focused on increasing your own Cultural Competency. (HH)
When discussing classroom and school rules, emphasize the need for tolerance and having respect for others - have an open discussion on this topic. Provide examples of when I was discriminated against. Because a lot of my students are non-verbal, I would show flash cards and short videos to illustrate my points (especially about bullying). (Caroline)
Learn more about the current issues facing my country. What are some things in the new happenings that would be sensitive with the parents within the classroom? (Owen)
Spend some time reflecting on myself. Think about the year that passed and the year that is ahead. What do I want to learn about myself? Do I still have unanswered questions? (HN)
August
Know Students
Start a KWL chart for the students in the class. Using it the same way as the students use it for any subject, only they would be the subject. Of course, during the year, continue filling it out (encourage students to participate by adding information about their classmates as they learn it). pl
Have students create a collage about themselves which they need to present to the class; it can include relatives' info., old school papers and pictures, momentoes, etc. It would also have to have a small area focusing on their future goals, likes and dislikes.(Caroline)
Have students create a large "postcard" of themselves that include family pictures and important things in their life. Have students present the postcard with the letter on the back to the rest of the students. Decorate the room with the family postcards (ID)
Create a daily parent communication book/checklist that generates crucial information regarding the students. (Tracy)
Have each student invite a family member in to talk about their background as well as partake in a class-made breakfast.(Caroline)
Have a 'get to know each other' day in which every student makes a poster about their country and presents it to the class. (Darie)
Have each of my students create a collage of who they are. They will use mix media of photos, magazine cut outs, newspaper. Each of the students will be encouraged to include as many of their interests as well as photos of their family in their collage. (Jason D)
Have each student create a poster labelled: Who I Am. Include all of the aspects of culture (that are possible/applicable/appropriate) and include photos. Have students explain them and post them in your classroom.(HH)
Create a 'Who we Are' class collage/mural/word wall that includes student photos and everything that makes them unique. (KD)
Give out an "All About You" questionnaire to students and find similar interests and background information that is common between the students. (Owen)
At orientation, have each student write down all celebrations that they and their family observe throughout the year. Make a separate calender with this information on it to refer to throughout the year. (JO)
Give students a survey that asks questions about themselves. This way a teacher could find out what students are interested in, and their backround. (HN)
August
Know Practice
Start a journal of class interactions and methods used, both successful methods and unsuccessful. Try to be as detailed as time permits as looking back on this will be great benefit later. pl
Revisit my reflective journal from previous school year; re-learn lessons learned in the previous school year (Kim D).
Study and reflect my own personal feelings on cultural competency. Review areas I need to improve when interacting with others. (Caroline)
Get in touch with what my students are going through so that I can full know them.
Review lesson plans-be sure to incorporate a cultural competency component. (Stef)
Draft a plan for a community service organization in our school (possibly associated with Roots and Shoots) that will help students become involved in community action such as volunteering at an orphanage or feeding the poor or playing with special needs children. This initial idea needs to be founded in August then developed through the year. (MM)
Work with a mentor teacher as well as the curriculum planner to better design and implement my goals of a more diverse curriculum that focuses on the diversity represented in my classroom. (Jason D)
Work with your grade level team to design activities within the framework of your curriculum that address, and stress the importance of, diverse backgrounds/cultures. (HH)
Have all teachers select/identify a mentor from within our faculty as they set their professional learning goals to build on each others strengths as well as enhancing our professional learning community as a whole (KD)
Read up on the latest issues that are in the field of TESOL. (Owen)
September
Know Self
Complete a self-reflection on the first couple of weeks to assess what goals you have accomplished and what you need to work on.
Reflect on why I chose to be a teacher. Revisit my philosophy of teaching. (Kim D)
Evaluate my current beliefs about students of the host culture to ensure that my bias is not tainting my view of these students. This reflection we be evaluated in a survey that I distribute later in the school year. (MM)
Keep a weekly log/diary of your teaching/interactions with your students with regards to their cultural backgrounds. Use this diary/log to reflect on your goal. (HH)
Reflect on the changes that I'd like to make in this new year of teaching that I've learned about from last year. (Owen)
September
Know Students
Ice breaker activity. Students will play a game called 2 truths and 1 lie. Students will make three statements about themselves in order to tell the class about themselves.
Create a social contract with each of my classes (Kim D).
Have each of the students create a family tree. Ask that the students include as many photos as possible and then have the students present each of the trees to the rest of the class. (Jason D.)
Have students fill out a perceptions survey, likes/dislikes survey, learning profile, and a hopes and wishes list. (ID)
Get to know students background and culture through 1 to 1 counseling meetings. (stef)
We will do something called MIDNIGHT MADNESS where all the middle school and secondary students stay late at night engaging in activities that bring about a deeper understanding of each person. I think that I would like to play a game or develop a game that helps students open up about issues with cultures that bother them. It is a chance for teachers and students to really bond and open up. (MM)
Advocate for small advisory groups. Advocate for a culturally diverse advisory program. If already present, incorporate student meetings, interviews and conversations as part of the program. (HH)
Add to our existing system for a snapshot conference with each parent which asks the question 'what would it help me to know about your child' and ask the same question one on one with each student. (KD)
Send questionnaire out to parents and ask about their child's outside interests besides school subjects. Find connections to the curriculum with their hobbies. (Owen)
Every week there will be a students of the week where that student brings in pictures as well as a list of things they would like to do in class in the future. (HN)
September
Know Practice
Train students how to operate in a group setting. Discuss proper dialogue and establish classroom norms. Discuss group roles and how every student can contribute.
Develop an anti-bullying team each month. Teach them to notice put-downs, and not to be a bystander... instead to be an UPstander to bullying. (ID)
Create the Social Action Committee for our school with students. We begin investigating issues in the Albanian community that we can help with. This is the stage where students research what can be done to help the community. (MM)
Create a book club with your colleagues. read and discuss books about culture competency and teaching. (HH)
Revisit the PSE (Personal/Social/Emotional) Scope and Sequence and see how these learning outcomes within the areas of Identity and Interactions can support cultural understandings within our existing Units of Inquiry. Explicitly build learning engagements within each unit to support these (KD)
October
Know Self
Invite an Administrator into the classroom to observe cultural competency.
Ask my students, paraprofessionals, and any in-the-know colleague to evaluate me as an educator, outlining my strengths and weaknesses, so that I can work on correcting any deficiencies. (Caroline)
Create and distribute a survey about cultural competency to distribute to the students, staff, and parents. This would be anonymous and would be used to as self-assessment for how I interact with each group. (MM)
October
Know Students
Have students fill out a learning style. This can be done earlier but by this time you will start to know your students habits and allowing them some choices may help. Knowing their learning styles is a great teaching strategy.
October
Know Practice
Observe 3 teachers from your PLC (profession learning community) and steal ideas they have. Attempt to use the ideas that you think will work in your classroom.
Choose more culturally sensitive read alouds to teach reading strategies in our reading curriculum. (ID)
Create a community service video about what issues the students researched about in September. This will get the community - students and parents- awareness levels increased so that there are volunteers to begin a project. (MM)
November
Know Self
Students will add to word wall from what they have learned in class
Use Peer Coaching model with my grade level partner to observe using my interview questions from module 7 to be sure I am being culturally competent. (stef)
November
Know Students
Have students research the origin of their name and the story behind their name. Share stories in class or have a student of the week where they can share their stories and other information about themselves. (AO)
I will be working with all the HS foreign exchange students-run group and have students introduce themselves and tell 'their story.' (stef)
November
Know Practice
Have students do an evaluation of teachers cultural competency
Begin the community service project. (MM)
December
Know Self
Using the journal, do a self reflection of interactions with the students and evaluate your own progress and failures for the first semester and make a solid plan of improvement. pl
Revisit action plan and other self reflections completed during this course and assess where my current practices are. Outline new goals for the remainder of the school year (KD)
Have a Skype class with students from another part of the world - appreciate the differences and similarities of behavior and learning. (Darie)
December
Know Practice
Professional development as it relates to my new curriculum that is much more diverse in content. Specifically, taking a world drumming course.( Jason D)
When assessing each student's progress for the semester, make a note of what you could change to meet all of your student's needs. (JO)
January
Know Self
Students will write a self reflection on their beliefs towards culture and race
Revisit class 'Who we Are' wall. Add all the new adjectives and ideas of who we have now become as a learning community. Self reflect on achievements, new cultural understandings etc that have come from working together for half a year. (KD)
Along with, or in lieu of New Year's resolutions make a listing of your values along with an honest look at how your values came to be, what drove their shaping. (JO)
January
Know Students
Have students create a picture story to share with the class. Share family pictures which include the area where they were born or lived for a large part of their life. Students can discuss how their pictures depict their cultural background.
January
Know Practice
February
Know Self
Have a colleague observe your teaching and interaction with students. Have a list of questions/areas you want them to observe/answer as they observe you. (AO)
February
Know Students
Encourage students to get to know a student from a different culture. Have them keep a journal of their experiences both inside and outside of school.
February
Know Practice
Students will create an assignment that teaches racial and cultural awareness
Students will put on a short Black History program in the classroom for anyone they choose to invite. They will be responsible to learning a script, creating a menu and cooking, inviting attendees. (Caroline)
Have students experience the life of an individual from the local community - food, use of language, technology (or lack of), etc. (Darie)
March
Know Practice
Have your class put together an age appropriate play about how to handle confrontations over diversity in a strong, yet effective manner. (JO) Write down a collection of ways in which you can confront comments or actions of a racist, sexist, classist, etc. nature. (JO)
April
Know Self
Review your self reflection and action plan to make sure you are on the right track using your journal and where the kids are in the class. Make adjustments as necessary-and take note of them so that you can re-evaluate your progress effectively and honestly. pl
April
Know Students
April
Know Practice
Promote Autism Awareness Month! (Tracy)
Group self assess success of community service project and then plan for either continuing or revising. (MM)
May
Know Self
Provide parents and students with survey to critique your teaching and the school year. Encourage suggestions to improve. (Tracy)
May
Know Students
Reflect on perceptions survey, likes/dislikes survey, learning profile, and a hopes and wishes list. See what changed and discuss (ID)
May
Know Practice
Reflect on the school year and compile a list of what worked, what did not, what you would like to improve on and new ideas to work on (Tracy)
Create an end-of-the-year gathering which focuses on getting students ready for post-secondary education, shows parents some of the activities we did over the year, and sums up everyone's thoughts and feelings regarding the class. (Caroline)
Have a meeting with your teaching team or the admin to evaluate your teaching practices and identify areas of improvement. (Darie)
June
Know Self
Have your students fill out an anonymous teacher evaluation. Study the results and make changes to next year's class. (AO)
Have students and parents fill out a strengths, needs, and suggestions chart on me. (ID)
Reflect on self and cultural knowledge learned from students. What else do I want to know for next year-self reflect. (stef)
Incorporate with your parents and students an opportunity for them to assess you on your knowledge of their son/daughter. (HH)
June
Know Students
Student Portfolio Presentations (Kim D).
Present to peers (during faculty meeting) a new idea that you found through practice during the last school year, introduce a new book about teaching or present a teaching strategy that you find particularly interesting. (Darie)
I would like to write cards to each secondary student in my school highlighting an accomplishment that I have seen them achieve during the school year. A kind of Kudos Kard.... (MM)
Have your students write a poem about their “Dreams for the Future”. (JO)
June
Know Practice
Take a summer course or participate in a webinar to continue education in cultural competency.
Plan your summer with at least one workshop or course dedicated to cultural competency and teaching in the diverse classroom. (HH)
July
Know Self
Read some scholarly articles about diversity and strategies as well as read or view some culturally significant materials such as Malcolm X or Baby Boy. (Caroline)
Read a book that will challenge me personally or professionally (Kim D).
Create teacher reflection questions to see if I have met my objectives for the year. Were my instructional objectives met and were the students productively engaged. Can I improve in anything or do anything differently with the upcoming students? (HN)
.July
Know Students
Finish the student KWL chart. Write what you have learned about the students and get input from students (by this point it will be a class activity). pl
Bring students together to have a discussion where my role would be to help the discussion along, making sure everyone had a chance to speak and asking questions about the next year to come. (HN)
Home > Activity 8-C-1: Year in the Life
Directions:
On the table below, add at least five events or activities you can do during the school year in the right column of the table. Each event or activity should help you address a component of the Achievement Triangle and be appropriate for the time in the school calendar.Achievement Triangle Event and Activity Ideas List: Remember to initial your contribution!!
Develop a goal of having students do a culturally competent activity once a month during our class meeting time. (ID)
Spend some time researching my family history, and where I come from. Use this research to better understand my racial identity, and its place in society. With this information create a family tree. (Jason D.)
Prepare an index card about how to speak out when confronted with intolerance. And practice each of the six steps. But the first step is being prepared and ready. (MM)
Create and send out a survey similar to the one used in this course in order to better understand your strengths and weaknesses with regards to your CC. From this information, create a goal that is focused on increasing your own Cultural Competency. (HH)
When discussing classroom and school rules, emphasize the need for tolerance and having respect for others - have an open discussion on this topic. Provide examples of when I was discriminated against. Because a lot of my students are non-verbal, I would show flash cards and short videos to illustrate my points (especially about bullying). (Caroline)
Learn more about the current issues facing my country. What are some things in the new happenings that would be sensitive with the parents within the classroom? (Owen)
Spend some time reflecting on myself. Think about the year that passed and the year that is ahead. What do I want to learn about myself? Do I still have unanswered questions? (HN)
Have students create a collage about themselves which they need to present to the class; it can include relatives' info., old school papers and pictures, momentoes, etc. It would also have to have a small area focusing on their future goals, likes and dislikes.(Caroline)
Have students create a large "postcard" of themselves that include family pictures and important things in their life. Have students present the postcard with the letter on the back to the rest of the students. Decorate the room with the family postcards (ID)
Create a daily parent communication book/checklist that generates crucial information regarding the students. (Tracy)
Have each student invite a family member in to talk about their background as well as partake in a class-made breakfast.(Caroline)
Have a 'get to know each other' day in which every student makes a poster about their country and presents it to the class. (Darie)
Have each of my students create a collage of who they are. They will use mix media of photos, magazine cut outs, newspaper. Each of the students will be encouraged to include as many of their interests as well as photos of their family in their collage. (Jason D)
Have each student create a poster labelled: Who I Am. Include all of the aspects of culture (that are possible/applicable/appropriate) and include photos. Have students explain them and post them in your classroom.(HH)
Create a 'Who we Are' class collage/mural/word wall that includes student photos and everything that makes them unique. (KD)
Give out an "All About You" questionnaire to students and find similar interests and background information that is common between the students. (Owen)
At orientation, have each student write down all celebrations that they and their family observe throughout the year. Make a separate calender with this information on it to refer to throughout the year. (JO)
Give students a survey that asks questions about themselves. This way a teacher could find out what students are interested in, and their backround. (HN)
Revisit my reflective journal from previous school year; re-learn lessons learned in the previous school year (Kim D).
Study and reflect my own personal feelings on cultural competency. Review areas I need to improve when interacting with others. (Caroline)
Get in touch with what my students are going through so that I can full know them.
Review lesson plans-be sure to incorporate a cultural competency component. (Stef)
Draft a plan for a community service organization in our school (possibly associated with Roots and Shoots) that will help students become involved in community action such as volunteering at an orphanage or feeding the poor or playing with special needs children. This initial idea needs to be founded in August then developed through the year. (MM)
Work with a mentor teacher as well as the curriculum planner to better design and implement my goals of a more diverse curriculum that focuses on the diversity represented in my classroom. (Jason D)
Work with your grade level team to design activities within the framework of your curriculum that address, and stress the importance of, diverse backgrounds/cultures. (HH)
Have all teachers select/identify a mentor from within our faculty as they set their professional learning goals to build on each others strengths as well as enhancing our professional learning community as a whole (KD)
Read up on the latest issues that are in the field of TESOL. (Owen)
Reflect on why I chose to be a teacher. Revisit my philosophy of teaching. (Kim D)
Evaluate my current beliefs about students of the host culture to ensure that my bias is not tainting my view of these students. This reflection we be evaluated in a survey that I distribute later in the school year. (MM)
Keep a weekly log/diary of your teaching/interactions with your students with regards to their cultural backgrounds. Use this diary/log to reflect on your goal. (HH)
Reflect on the changes that I'd like to make in this new year of teaching that I've learned about from last year. (Owen)
Create a social contract with each of my classes (Kim D).
Have each of the students create a family tree. Ask that the students include as many photos as possible and then have the students present each of the trees to the rest of the class. (Jason D.)
Have students fill out a perceptions survey, likes/dislikes survey, learning profile, and a hopes and wishes list. (ID)
Get to know students background and culture through 1 to 1 counseling meetings. (stef)
We will do something called MIDNIGHT MADNESS where all the middle school and secondary students stay late at night engaging in activities that bring about a deeper understanding of each person. I think that I would like to play a game or develop a game that helps students open up about issues with cultures that bother them. It is a chance for teachers and students to really bond and open up. (MM)
Advocate for small advisory groups. Advocate for a culturally diverse advisory program. If already present, incorporate student meetings, interviews and conversations as part of the program. (HH)
Add to our existing system for a snapshot conference with each parent which asks the question 'what would it help me to know about your child' and ask the same question one on one with each student. (KD)
Send questionnaire out to parents and ask about their child's outside interests besides school subjects. Find connections to the curriculum with their hobbies. (Owen)
Every week there will be a students of the week where that student brings in pictures as well as a list of things they would like to do in class in the future. (HN)
Develop an anti-bullying team each month. Teach them to notice put-downs, and not to be a bystander... instead to be an UPstander to bullying. (ID)
Create the Social Action Committee for our school with students. We begin investigating issues in the Albanian community that we can help with. This is the stage where students research what can be done to help the community. (MM)
Create a book club with your colleagues. read and discuss books about culture competency and teaching. (HH)
Revisit the PSE (Personal/Social/Emotional) Scope and Sequence and see how these learning outcomes within the areas of Identity and Interactions can support cultural understandings within our existing Units of Inquiry. Explicitly build learning engagements within each unit to support these (KD)
Ask my students, paraprofessionals, and any in-the-know colleague to evaluate me as an educator, outlining my strengths and weaknesses, so that I can work on correcting any deficiencies. (Caroline)
Create and distribute a survey about cultural competency to distribute to the students, staff, and parents. This would be anonymous and would be used to as self-assessment for how I interact with each group. (MM)
Choose more culturally sensitive read alouds to teach reading strategies in our reading curriculum. (ID)
Create a community service video about what issues the students researched about in September. This will get the community - students and parents- awareness levels increased so that there are volunteers to begin a project. (MM)
Use Peer Coaching model with my grade level partner to observe using my interview questions from module 7 to be sure I am being culturally competent. (stef)
I will be working with all the HS foreign exchange students-run group and have students introduce themselves and tell 'their story.' (stef)
Begin the community service project. (MM)
Revisit action plan and other self reflections completed during this course and assess where my current practices are. Outline new goals for the remainder of the school year (KD)
Left Brain/Right Brain from
http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/getting.html (AO)
Have a Skype class with students from another part of the world - appreciate the differences and similarities of behavior and learning. (Darie)
When assessing each student's progress for the semester, make a note of what you could change to meet all of your student's needs. (JO)
Revisit class 'Who we Are' wall. Add all the new adjectives and ideas of who we have now become as a learning community. Self reflect on achievements, new cultural understandings etc that have come from working together for half a year. (KD)
Along with, or in lieu of New Year's resolutions make a listing of your values along with an honest look at how your values came to be, what drove their shaping. (JO)
Students will put on a short Black History program in the classroom for anyone they choose to invite. They will be responsible to learning a script, creating a menu and cooking, inviting attendees. (Caroline)
Have students experience the life of an individual from the local community - food, use of language, technology (or lack of), etc. (Darie)
Group self assess success of community service project and then plan for either continuing or revising. (MM)
Create an end-of-the-year gathering which focuses on getting students ready for post-secondary education, shows parents some of the activities we did over the year, and sums up everyone's thoughts and feelings regarding the class. (Caroline)
Have a meeting with your teaching team or the admin to evaluate your teaching practices and identify areas of improvement. (Darie)
Have students and parents fill out a strengths, needs, and suggestions chart on me. (ID)
Reflect on self and cultural knowledge learned from students. What else do I want to know for next year-self reflect. (stef)
Incorporate with your parents and students an opportunity for them to assess you on your knowledge of their son/daughter. (HH)
Present to peers (during faculty meeting) a new idea that you found through practice during the last school year, introduce a new book about teaching or present a teaching strategy that you find particularly interesting. (Darie)
I would like to write cards to each secondary student in my school highlighting an accomplishment that I have seen them achieve during the school year. A kind of Kudos Kard.... (MM)
Have your students write a poem about their “Dreams for the Future”. (JO)
Plan your summer with at least one workshop or course dedicated to cultural competency and teaching in the diverse classroom. (HH)
Read a book that will challenge me personally or professionally (Kim D).
Create teacher reflection questions to see if I have met my objectives for the year. Were my instructional objectives met and were the students productively engaged. Can I improve in anything or do anything differently with the upcoming students? (HN)
Bring students together to have a discussion where my role would be to help the discussion along, making sure everyone had a chance to speak and asking questions about the next year to come. (HN)
http://www.amazon.com/Developing-Critical-Cultural-Competence-21st-Century/dp/1412996252/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366733280&sr=1-5&keywords=Cultural+Competency+for+teachers
Plan a professional development day with colleagues in the same teaching profession to collaborate with and brainstorm new ideas (Tracy)